I found this posted to the Comstock Libertarians Facebook page. The writer, Elmer Whittaker, gave me permission to post this writing from his blog, along with the second article that I found there. You can find his blog here, Liberty and Bliss
Corruption deepens within the LPN
By Elmer Whittaker
In an ever deepening conspiracy of the Executive Committee (Ex-Com) of the Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) to retain their strangle hold of the LPN and its membership, the Ex-Com has now widened its corruption not only of the party itself but especially of the election process for a new leadership at the upcoming 2013 Libertarian Party of Nevada State Convention on April 27, 2013.
The LPN Treasurer Kurt Brackop has now started to reject and refund LPN member registrations to the LPN convention to prevent member attendance at the event and to avoid a larger turnout in the elections of a new LPN Executive Committee, out of justified fear that the incumbent committee would be voted out of office and shunned.
As I have already detailed the problems within the LPN in my prior blog entries First Impressions of the LPN and Current Problems within the LPN the current Ex-Com moves further and further away with this additional harassment, from observance of LPN’s own bylaws.
In spite me being a full recognized and dues paying member in good standing of the LPN my convention registration was rejected because I had used my Arizona and second residence to register as my debit card is still associated with that address. The official reason for rejection was “Ineligible – Out of State Resident”.
There is no legitimate reason in the LPN’s bylaws, nor has there been an illegitimate reason that was required by the Ex-Com for attendants to the LPN convention to be residents of the State of Nevada. Aside from that, using an out of state address to register does not equal not being a Nevada resident. Many people have multiple residencies.
When registering for the convention on the LPN website I followed the precise instructions for LPN members to register for the convention. There is no separate procedure for delegates (voting members).
It would be laughable if only Nevada resident were eligible to attend the convention.
After the rejection of apparently a number of registrations the telephone number provided on the registration to call the Treasurer Kurt Brackop with any questions has been removed and only an e-mail address remains. The attendance or voting fee for convention registration has now gone up from $65 to $95 for registrations received after March 20. Hence, here is a copy of my e-mail response to Kurt Brackop’s rejection of my convention registration.
From: Elmer Whittaker [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2013 1:43 PM
To: ‘Kurt Brackob’
Subject: RE: Libertarian Party of Nevada Customer Refund Notification
Kurt Brackob.
On the registration page on LPN website it states clearly: “Proceed to Member / Delegate Registration” I have followed registration procedures outlaid on the LPN website precisely and fulfill all requirements of being a fully dues paid member of the LPN. How many residences I have and which address my debit card bears is no consequence when registering as a LPN member for the LPN convention. No ID, no proof of NV residency, no NV voter registration is required to merle register for the convention as a LPN member.
If on April 27 between 8am – 9am I can verify that I fulfill all requirements to be a LPN delegate (NV Voter Registration for at least 30 days prior, NV State ID, dues paid LPN member) I must be allowed to register as delegate at that time and be eligible to vote.
I demand my LPN convention registration as a LPN member in good standing for $65 be accepted.
Should the rejection of my original convention registration for $65 cost me any additional and unduly funds, I will personally sue you as an individual in a court of law, for any damages caused.
Elmer Whittaker
The names of the individuals comprising the current LPN Ex-Com who participate in this apparent election and power scam in complete disregard of the party’s own bylaws are as follows:
Chairman Joseph P. Silvestri
Vice Chair Chris Roberts
Treasurer Kurt Brackob
Secretary Jared Lord
At Large Representative Irv Hopkins
Let them forever be marked as unscrupulous, corrupt and power hungry individuals in the annals of the Libertarian Party. They cannot be trusted again for neither internal nor public office.
Here is the second article that I read in Liberty and Bliss that I thought would interest IPR readers.
Dissolvment of County Chapters
By Elmer Whittaker
I think this is the first and foremost ground of contention within the LPN. For many years the Libertarian Party of Nevada was comprised of the State Chapter (LPN) and three county affiliate chapters. The Clark County Libertarian Party, the Nye County Libertarian Party and the Capitol Libertarian Party in the Reno, Carson City area.
Although there are sixteen counties plus Carson City as an independent city, considering Nevada’s population centers the three territorial county or area affiliates seemed a pretty good solution to have the most efficiency for impact in local politics following the grassroots principle from the bottom up.
When some one and a half years back the LPN Executive Committee (Ex-Com) under Chairman Joe Silvestri voted to dissolve all county chapters in a regular teleconference business meeting and integrate them along with their funds into one LPN chapter under the leadership of one Ex-Com under one chairman, namely Joe Silvestri, many disenfranchised party members left the LPN altogether and others in a state of great discontent are determined to replace the current Ex-Com along with Chairman Silvestri so they can re-affiliate their county chapters.
Personally, I have never heard of any party disaffiliating all of their chapters, but I am sure it has happened. As I have not been involved with the LPN at the time of the disaffiliation, I do not know what the reasons given were, but in general under the US and Nevada Constitution, power comes and grows up from its people starting at the local grassroots level. Only in totalitarian regimes does the power come from the top or the government.
Many longtime members content that the county chapter disaffiliation was done solely to consolidate power under Chairman Joe Silvestri and to silence and disempower opposition and opponents of the chairman.
The rest of the current internal problems of the LPN seem to stem from the usual struggle of totalitarian regimes to stay in power, by disempowering its citizens, in this case members, by means of abusing the regimes power to further themselves and stay in power, instead of using their granted powers for the best of the country and citizens and in this case to the best of the party and its members.
Convention Voting Fee
Apparently for the first time in LPN’s history, LPN members who wish to vote in the elections for a new or recumbent Executive Committee in the 2013 Libertarian Party of Nevada State Convention are forced or coerced to pay a rather high convention entrance fee in order to be able to cast their votes. Such fee for voting is commonly known as “voting” fee”.
Many longtime members content that coercion of a “voting” fee” of $65 – $125 on top of membership dues was done to keep voting and election participation from the general membership low to favor the recumbent Ex-Com.
Membership dues should be the only requirement and prerequisite for LPN members to vote in the internal party elections. If the elections were to be part of a high priced convention, the voting could have simply been made available without a coerced “voting fee” by holding the business part of the elections at a especially reserved time and portion of the convention, like before or after.
There are a number of LPN members who have already announced they cannot afford $65-$125 and might not be able to vote due to financial hardship.
High Convention Entrance Fee
Apparently also for the first time in LPN’s history a high priced venue for the 2013 LPN State Convention at the Suncoast Hotel & Casino was chosen and the highest entrance fee ever of $65-$125 is required for those wishing to attend the LPN State Convention.
Again, like in the issue of the “voting fee”, many members content that high entrance fee serves to keep voting and election participation from the general membership low to favor the recumbent Ex-Com.
Many members content that in former years the LPN Convention was held in most suitable venues for a much more affordable price exposing the contradiction of the current Ex-Com of wasting money while supposedly being a fiscal conservative party.
Delegate State ID Requirement at Convention
Also for the very first time LPN delegates (voting members) are required to present a Nevada State ID in order to vote.
Again, many LPN members content that this is part of the plan to keep voting from general membership at the LPN Convention at a minimum, to favor the recumbent Ex-Com.
Indeed, the national Libertarian Party has taken an official stance against National ID requirement which have been proposed. There really is no difference between the principles of requiring National ID and State ID. It’s the same difference.
A Nevada Voter Registration should be sufficient to participate in LPN’s internal elections.
Lack of Advertisement and Promotion of Convention
This is probably the most damning circumstantial evidence against the conspiracy and the abuse of power of the current Ex-Com in order to retain their power and I have written about this before in my blog: First Impressions of the LPN
The LPN has neither sent out email notices nor letters to those without internet nor make phone calls to current due paying membership nor to ex-members or those who’s dues are past due.
This should have been the absolute necessity and basic for any organization holding a convention. The LPN has also neglected to post notices, announcements or invitations to the following free mediums to their disposal:
· LPN Twitter Feed with 2605 Followers
· LPN Facebook Page with 592 Subscribers
· LPN Meet-Up Group with 400 Members
· LPN Facebook Group with 305 Members
· LPN Google + with 13 Followers
There is simply no excuse for this, unless it is the Ex-Com’s wish and intention to keep the participation and voting by its current and former membership to a minimum. Needless to say that all of LPN’s social media outlets are controlled, moderated and censored (where applicable) with the expectation of the LPN Facebook group.
In all fairness though, LPN Secretary Jared Thomas Lord did, after my urging and the release of my blog “First Impressions of the LPN” on March 13, post the announcement of the LPN Convention once the LPN Facebook Page. Although he said he would bring the issue to the attention of the rest of the Ex-Com no further advertisement o promotions could be observed anywhere.
As an interesting twist though and a sign that the LPN Ex-Com would prefer a low member participation in the elections but would still make some money of the convention, an at least once daily advertisement of the Luncheon with Katie Kieffer for $95, which o course is part of the LPN convention is posted to LPN’s Twitter feed for several weeks now, painstakingly avoiding any mention of the LPN Convention or an election. From the LPN Twitter Feed: “LPN Luncheon with Keynote Speaker Katie Kieffer, April 27 – RSVP”
Facebook Group
Probably due to ever-growing popularity, activity, dissent and outspokenness on the LPN Facebook group, which is still in the control of ousted former LPN Secretary Brett Pojunis and not like all other LPN social media sites in control and censorship of the current Ex-Com, LPN Secretary Jared Thomas Lord is now pushing for handover of control of the Facebook group, who he claims rightly belongs to the party.
While I simply do not have the insight to say with any certainty if the LPN Facebook group belongs to the LPN or its current administrator Brett Pojunis, it does not seem like the right time to explore this issue any further so close to the LPN convention as the group is the only uncensored medium the LPN membership currently has to its disposal.
After an inquiry to the LPN Facebook group membership by Brett Pojunis, the members including me, openly expressed their fears of losing this uncensored method of communication to the control and censorship of the Ex-Com. The membership clearly asked administrator Brett Pojunis to keep this channel of communication open and uncensored at least until the LPN convention is over.
Summary
As a brand new member who has joined the Libertarian Party of Nevada just a couple of months ago and who has no allegiances nor animosities with anyone, I can only conclude and attest that the complaints and fears of the general membership are fully justified and that there is an irreparable break in trust and confidence in the current Ex-Com under the leadership of Chairman Joe Silvestri from the general membership and that the replacement of said Ex-Com would be in the best interest of the Libertarian Party of Nevada and its members.
//
No, it isn’t the same lady, and this one at least has credentials. It does remind me of the same thing, though.
We have a Republican assemblyman speaking to the CA convention next week. He is doing one thing right, but the rest of his record is dismal. I’m afraid our state is still a bit Rootified.
@Jill—she spoke at your convention last year?? ….oh geez why does this smack of you know who…..figures:)
The saga continues….
I’ll also try to be at Colorado and Alabama conventions.
I like the Alabama funding model.
If anyone disagrees, why?
I’ll try to make it to Arkansas if I can, maybe.
Excellent, Aaron! I hear you’re also going to host Cathy Reisenweitz, Libertarienne. I hope someone gets a video of her.
Aaron Watkins posted in Alabama Libertarians
****************************
1:03pm Mar 23
****************************
Fellow Libertarians,
Thank you all for your support of the LPA! Without your hard efforts we wouldn’t be where we are today. I can truly say that our message is growing throughout the state and nation!
Who all is excited about the 2013 LPA Convention?! I sure am!
At the Convention we will be discussing the future of the LPA and we will be electing the new Executive Committee. If you aren’t already a member I urge you to become one, so that you may be a part of the electoral process. Also at Convention we will be having an array of guest speakers from all over. As you all know events like these come with a price tag, however we are keeping it FREE, so that no one is unable to attend! With that being said, I would like to reach out to everyone and ask that if you have a little extra to spare, please lend a hand, join our cause, fight for liberty. We need to raise at least $500 before the 1st of June in order to keep this Convention free of cost. You will be getting an amazing lineup of speakers, light refreshments, lunch, libertarian minded booths with amazing material, and so much more! If you can donate, follow the link below to our website where you can make a one time donation, monthly donation, or become a member, or see the physical address if you’d like to donate that way.
Thank you all so much and I look forward to seeing you all at the 2013 LPA State Convention!
LIVE FREE,
Aaron Watkins
Secretary of the LPA
http://www.lpalabama.org/join.html
LG @ 65: At least they’re not billing her as the chair of some non-existent state women’s caucus, like CA did last year at their convention.
im glad we didnt get some right-wing tea party to speak……….oh wait , roflmao , i can hardly wait , at least shes pretty
dude , unlv friggin crapped out , and to some team weve already beaten , ugh:( good luck on sunday…:)
Lots of state conventions the weekend of April 26 and 27. Must tell you that the Ohio convention won’t have any added “drama”. Buttoned down and organized in the Buckeye State. Now if THE OSU Buckeyes can only get by the Iowa State team in March madness on Sunday.
Katie in the news:
“The 50 Best Conservative Columnists Of 2012″ – RightWingNews
“The 20 Hottest Conservative Women in New Media (2012 Edition)” – RightWingNews
“The 40 Best Conservative Columnists Of 2011″ – Right Wing News
“People on the Move” – Washington D.C. Business Journal
“The 20 Hottest Conservative Women in New Media (2011 Edition)” – Right Wing News
“Young Professional Network 5Q with writer and speaker Katie Kieffer” –MinnPost
“Top Ten Tea Party Bloggers You Need to Read” – NewsRealBlog
No ‘media’ on KatieKieffer.com may be altered or reproduced without the explicit and written consent of Katie Kieffer.
Jim @57–
You’re already an honorary member of Manhattan LP.
http://katiekieffer.com/
who the heck is the chick speaking at my luncheon , never heard of her……
Sounds much more reasonable than Nevada.
“What does the PA convention cost?”
The business meeting is free. Lunch is $44. Attendees are also responsible for their own bed bug remediation expenses.
There was no official announcement, but this recently appeared on LPPa.org: http://www.lppa.org/happenings/2013-lppa-state-convention.html
Here are the ones I know. Anyone have more info about others?
CA Apr 5-7
GA Apr 5-6
MD Apr 6
IN Apr 19-21
KS Apr 20
PA Apr 26-7
OH Apr 26-7
NV Apr 27
NY Apr 27
AR Apr 27
OR May 4
MN May 4
LSLA/CO May 17-19
FL May 24-6
NC Jun 7-8
AL Jun 8
MI Jun 15
IL I believe is in September …
Those are the ones I have heard of
CA’s will be relatively inexpensive two weekends from now, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to make it. 🙁
What does the PA convention cost?
NY is a cheap date….nice:)
Georgia will allow you to affiliate with them if you want 🙂
The NYLP convention is actually more accessible for many Pennsylvanians than “our” convention. I’m sure it will be more fun and more informative. Perhaps the Montgomery County LP can secede from the LPPa. Is there any rule that says a county affiliate must be associated with a particular state affiliate?
@54 Ah, that explains it.
@52 I’ve seen the interview before and it’s good, but I missed the connection to this article.
Oops, that was supposed to be on the Howie Hawkins article. My apologies.
Any chance you can get Joe Silvestri to NY early, say on or by April 27, to start his annual lifeguard job that he does in NY every summer? You can have him attend the convention, just make sure not to vote him in as anything.
I know I’ve posted this before, but it’s so applicable to this article that it deserves a repeat.
Here’s my interview last year with Manhattan Chair Janet Hopf talking about employment laws and why minimum wage laws hurt the lowest earners:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJalK1ytCEk
Elmer and others with nothing to do on April 27:
You are always welcome to join the LPNY and come to our Convention in Rhinebeck, New York. I am already preparing for my debate with NOTA; the problem is often the son-of-a-gun doesn’t even show up but he keeps on running.
After that, I am sorry to say we have no exciting by-law amendments to pass, so we will have to go right to boring old lunch, libations and liberty. Our speakers will address 2d Amendment rights (take that, NY Safe Act) and several other timely topics.
No jurisdictional requirements. If you breathe and have the $60.00 for the Convention, you’re welcome to attend. For another $25.00, you can join the LPNY and vote for NOTA or some other guy.
Alabama seems to be doing much better in the last half year or so. We were down in the dumps last year.
Well so far LP members in Washington State have testified on seven or more bills this legislative session and are proposing three or four for the next session. A couple more counties have been organized and another is in the works.
Hmmm…maybe an implant in my brain would explain why I set the metal detectors off at the airports?
@LP Observer With my very limited experience with political activism and fighting corruption I have concluded that not holding perpetrators accountable and overlooking intolerable violations against liberty as well as criminal corruption while minimizing their severity with a more “positive outlook”, is probably to most alluring temptation for politicians to go astray.
Where violators and perpetrators are not exposed and held accountable, there can be no accountability expected and a party which bases itself on individual liberty and the US Constitution loses credibility by not acting upon its principles and not taking a determined stand against corruption.
That’s what I keep telling myself, too 🙂
It’s probably better than having to infiltrate the KKK or the Revolutionary Socialist Farmer-Labor Party (Marxist-Maoist) .
Paulie… life is far too important to be taken seriously!
how bad do you have to fuck up in order to get assigned to infiltrate the LP at whichever gov. agency applies?..lol
It would actually explain a lot, in all seriousness.
“According to the little research I have done. Yes, you could be an agent or infiltrator without you consciously knowing.”
I guess I should have never allowed that chip to be implanted! Darn! Drat!! Aw Shucks!!!
Scary stuff 🙁
“Could I be one and not even know it?
@Paulie Absolutley. According to the little research I have done. Yes, you could be an agent or infiltrator without you consciously knowing.
@Waylon T. Freebird I agree completely. I just wish there would be a “like” button here.
@NewFederalist That which you describe applies to about every organized group.
Sure, acrimony will happen on its own, without infiltrators.
But it’s also well documented that any anti-establishment party or organization gets heavily infiltrated.
And no, you would not know who they are necessarily. If they were easy to spot it wouldn’t work.
But you are correct – just because someone is acting in a way that’s counter to the organization’s purpose it doesn’t mean they are doing it intentionally.
In some cases they may be, in other cases not.
It’s hard to say.
Anyone who believes people who seemingly are out to wreck a minor political party are agents of the US Government or agents of Satan or whatever have never been a member of an antique or vintage automobile club. The LP of any state or even the LNC BS pales in comparison to the acrimony of the internal politics of the various Studebaker clubs or Packard or Hudson or even Kaiser-Fraser. And unlike a political party the car clubs are actually important! 😉
Positive state LP news so far this month:
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/tennessee-libertarian-party-takes-aim-at-legislative-activities/ Tennessee Libertarian Party Takes Aim At Legislative Activities
March 21st, 2013 ? No Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/libertarian-party-of-indiana-supports-aclu-lawsuit/ Libertarian Party of Indiana Supports ACLU Lawsuit
March 18th, 2013 ? 1 Comment
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/lnc-ballot-access-report-for-spring-meeting/ LNC Ballot Access Report For Spring Meeting
March 16th, 2013 ? 2 Comments (includes news that we have better ballot access retention than in the past and some other positive items)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/lnc-chair-report-for-lnc-spring-meeting/ LNC Chair Report For LNC Spring Meeting
March 16th, 2013 ? 1 Comment (part of this is about working on increased state-national cooperation and other things to help affiliates in various direct and indirect ways)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/region-7-report-to-lnc/ Region 7 Report To LNC
March 16th, 2013 ? No Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/region-6-report-to-lnc/ Region 6 Report To LNC
March 16th, 2013 ? No Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/region-3-report-to-lnc/ Region 3 Report To LNC
March 16th, 2013 ? 4 Comments (the comments were all about article posting issues)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/region-1-report-to-lnc/ Region 1 Report to LNC
March 16th, 2013 ? 1 Comment
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/california-libertarian-numbers-keep-growing/ California Libertarian Numbers Keep Growing
March 15th, 2013 ? 14 Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/gigi-bowman-featured-as-libertarian-citizen-candidates-learning-as-they-go/ Gigi Bowman Featured as Libertarian Citizen-Candidates Learning As They Go
March 14th, 2013 ? written by Jill Pyeatt ? No Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/more-commentary-from-paul-frankel-re-region-5s-report-and-campus-organizing-report/ More Commentary From Paul Frankel Re: Region 5S Report and Campus Organizing Report
March 8th, 2013 ? written by Jill Pyeatt ? 12 Comments <-----we actually did talk about nuts and bolts a bit in that threadhttps://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/lnc-region-5s-report/ LNC Region 5S Report
March 7th, 2013 ? written by paulie ? 6 Comments (despite the Stevens trainwreck, it has some positive news that could be discussed)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/libertarian-national-campus-organizing-report/ Libertarian National Campus Organizing Report
March 7th, 2013 ? written by paulie ? 4 Comments (positive aspects of the report drew no comments)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/libertarian-party-of-arkansas-fundraising-for-2014-ballot-access/ Libertarian Party of Arkansas fundraising for 2014 ballot access
March 6th, 2013 ? 8 Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/videos-of-pennsylvania-libertarian-workshop/ Videos of Pennsylvania Libertarian Workshop
March 3rd, 2013 ? 4 Comments
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/nola-com-libertarian-party-looking-for-foothold-in-new-orleans-jefferson/ NOLA.com: Libertarian Party looking for foothold in New Orleans, Jefferson
March 2nd, 2013 ? 6 Comments
…that’s it for March 2013, but archives going back all the way to May 2008 remain open for comments if people want to find good news to discuss and look at strategies, tactics etc.
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/03/california-libertarian-numbers-keep-growing/
I wish there was more discussion on these articles, because I’d like to know what they’re doing right. We really can’t control what articles are commented on; in fact, sometimes I’m quite surprised at which articles spark IPR readers’ interest.
@4 They havent caught me yet …
I posted an article in the last week or two about gains in membership in California. We definitely post positive articles sometimes.
Maybe.
Send me an article, or something.
I can’t guarantee it will get a good discussion going, but maybe it will, especially if you can promote it elsewhere (state chairs list if you have access to that, your state and regional lists, and so on).
Generally it is easier to get people to comment on the train wrecks. “If it bleeds it leads…”
Good news can be interesting, but generally people feel less moved to comment about it.
Human nature, I guess…
so you have a few knucklehead leaders and a few states that need a serious tuneup. How about focusing on the positives and those states that are growing and building. It’s so easy to get caught up with the negatives. Would it even be possible to get a thread going that discusses the success stories and LP state affiliates that have it together?
I could be a plant by that standard.
But, as far as I know, I’m not.
Could I be one and not even know it?
🙂
I can tell who the plants are because they’re willing to work and get their hands dirty to “build trust”. Real libertarians would never “compromise their principles” by doing something as base and gauche as calling people, working in petition drives, voting for anyone, or even evangelizing the party platform in a calm( dignified manner. Because, after all, “Extremism in the name of liberty is no vice” or whatever.
And this happens in a party with basically zero influence. Imagine what would happen if the party actually grew to point where legislators were being elected.
Politics and principles are an unstable mix.
I definitely think we should always be aware that there are infiltrators among us. Sometimes I thought WAR was one because he was so good at disrupting the party, and sometimes I thought he was just a guy with a narcisstic personality.
I do think the nature of leadership in politics, though, does attract people with egos a little bigger than the general population. There’s just something about a little power that seems to bring a nasty side out of someone,though. We see that over and over again in otherwise decent people.
Yeah, I’m the only one who suffers from it who actually IS right all the time!
😛
Joe Silvestri is not a plant , a saboteur or counterintelpro whatever…..he is simply a man who thinks he is right all of the time…chronic libertarian affliction btw:)
But to which point can the LNC really afford not to get involved and still retain its integrity and credibility?
Dunno. You are presuming we have integrity and credibility?
The Tea Party, Ron Paul R3volution, Libertarian Party and Patriot groups. All have been infiltrated and successfully derailed.
…Occupy movement and many others as well.
However, I’m not saying whether anyone in LPNV or LPPA leadership is a “plant” or not. Sometimes, it really is people acting against their own best interests.
“LNC is not eager to get involved in state party infighting.”
That is understandable, Paulie. But to which point can the LNC really afford not to get involved and still retain its integrity and credibility?
“That is if building the organization, rather than sabotaging it, is the goal, yes.”
Excellent point Paulie. Some people think it’s caused by government infiltration. I’ve done some research on the FBI’s COINTELPRO and MK-ULTRA. It’s plausible, possible and probable. Infiltrators, provocateurs and saboteurs. Many of them stay active for decades and most of them go undetected until years after they retire.
The Tea Party, Ron Paul R3volution, Libertarian Party and Patriot groups. All have been infiltrated and successfully derailed.
You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to see the writing on the wall.
It seems like much of the same story, James Babb.
Sounds like it should be easy to outvote them at the convention no matter how many shenanigans they pull.
@Paulie: A few. Some probably stuck around after the GJ campaign.
That is if building the organization, rather than sabotaging it, is the goal, yes.
Here’s the irony. These mini-tyrants spend enormous time and energy trying to control everybody. If they spent half of that energy building their organization, they would be cheerfully reelected and have a bigger organization too.
Does the current leadership actually have any supporters besides its 5 members?
Oregon would be a fantastic precedent here – even if we disaffiliate, there’s no guarantee the Secretary of State or Joe Silvestri would honor the outcome.
Most likely not.
LNC is not eager to get involved in state party infighting.
When we do it usually doesn’t turn out well – Oregon in the last few years, Arizona about 10-15 years ago, etc.
LPN needs to get its shit together, pardon my French. Is there nothing the LNC can do about this?
People already know what they are up to, their attitude is more like “so what are you going to do about it?”
I immediately thought of Tom Stevens when I read this. He’ll undoubtedly get ideas from this if he still reads our blog.
Does Mr. Silvestri and his group think no one will figure out what they’re up to?
BTW
LpNevada.com is for sale (Lp Nevada)
lmao
Has anyone seen Tom Stevens and Joe Silvestri in one place at the same time?
😛
It’s like Tom Stevens is running the LPN. I sincerely hope they can turn things around.
An LP convention should be a time to bring together as much of the membership as possible, celebrate successes and inspire the base to kick ass for another year. A competent board would want as many people as possible to participate, and showcase the party’s achievements.
When convention organizers are intentionally discouraging participation, that is a clear indicator that the “leadership” has worn out their welcome. It proves they are ashamed of their work.
We are experiencing exactly the same thing in Pennsylvania, where the convention location was selected for it’s inaccessibility and horrifying facilities. Our chairman may have actually found the hotel with lowest TripAdvisor rating in the state.(http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g52470-d96351-Reviews-Days_Inn_Danville_Conference_Center-Danville_Pennsylvania.html).
In 2008, when I organized our LPPa convention, we had great speakers, workshops, VIP cocktails, banquette, after parties… The whole weekend was packed with events. The hotel was modern and reasonably priced. The suburban Philly location allowed most of the membership to not even need a room. We actually raised thousands of dollars for the party.
We advertised the hell out of it, in the party newsletter, direct mail, email and social media.
Fast forward 5 years, and there is no promotion (and nothing of interest to promote). There is no longer even a newsletter to advertise in. Our remaining membership wasn’t even informed of the convention as dictated by our bylaws. Everything has been structured to discourage participation.
I guess any hierarchical organization can attract these petty tyrants, but sheesh! I can’t believe people actually join the LP for “the power.” It’s like playing jazz for the money.
Did you get your fees refunded, LG?
Theyve just aout reached the limit of what will be tolerated before litigation
How much more obvious can they be that they don’t want anyone there but hand-picked people?
Gee, I wonder if another state will start using these tactics soon–
and den…..now they refunding registrations to any persons who charge was paid by a card not belonging to them…RUFKM?!!!
these fuckers are making shit up as they go along .